2019ANNUAL REPORT
European Choral Association - Europa Cantat (ECA-EC)
Who we are ...... 4 Welcome words ...... 6
Our Network ...... 8 History...... 10 Values...... 12 Vision...... 13 Members...... 14
People...... 19
Networking with others...... 23 “ Multiannual projects...... 28 Upgrade – Connect – Reach out ...... 30 One Voice for Sing Me In ...... 34 Sing Outside The Box ...... 35 Collective Singing! STAMP – Shared Training Activities for Music Professionals ...... 36 New cooperation projects ...... 37 “ EP:IC ...... 37 SHIFT – Shared Initiatives for Training ...... 38 Training Leading Voices ...... 39
Activities 2019...... 40 Activities of ECA-EC ...... 50 5th edition of Youth Choirs in Movement ...... 52 9th intern. Competition for Young Conductors...... 53 EuroChoir...... 54 World Youth Choir...... 55 Membership Weekend...... 56 Grants...... 58
Activities in partnership with ECA-EC...... 60 Activities promoted by ECA-EC...... 62 Advocacy work in 2019...... 63
What will happen in 2020 and beyond...... 64
Imprint...... 67
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ICELAND
SWEDEN FINLAND FAROE ISLANDS
NORWAY
RUSSIA ESTONIA
LATVIA DENMARK LITHUANIA
BELARUS IRELAND UNITED POLAND KINGDOM NETHERLANDS GERMANY BELGIUM CZECH UKRAINE LUXEMBOURG REPUBLIC SLOVAKIA MOLDOVA LIECHTENSTEIN AUSTRIA HUNGARY FRANCE SWITZERLAND SLOVENIA CROATIA ROMANIA
BOSNIA AND SERBIA HERZEGOVINA BULGARIA ITALY MONTENEGRO GEORGIA MACEDONIA
ALBANIA ARMENIA AZERBAIJANARZERBAIJAN AZORES SPAIN (PORTUGAL) PORTUGAL GREECE TURKEY
MALTA SYRIA CYPRUS LEBANON MADEIRA ISLANDS (PORTUGAL) TUNISIA MOROCCO ISRAEL JORDAN CANARY ISLANDS TO THE EUROPEAN CHORAL ASSOCIATION – EUROPA CANTAT (SPAIN) ALGERIA LIBYA EGYPT welcome. We are We connect people through CONDUCTORS | VOCAL LEADERS ORGANISATIONS EVENT EDUCATIONAL SINGING ACTIVITIES SINGERS ORGANISERS FESTIVALS · TRAININGS · PROJECTS COMPOSERS | CREATORS CHOIRS MEETINGS · COMPETITIONS MANAGERS TEACHERS | EDUCATORS AWARDS · CONFERENCES
cooperating across borders in the field of collective singing since 1963. all over continental Europe. 62 187 202 MEMBER CHOIRS INDIVIDUALS Why? ORGANISATIONS · We love collective singing, we want to share it! · We promote peace and solidarity Through our membership, we directly represent 2,5 million people, amateurs and · We want to exchange and learn from each other professionals and reach out to more than 37 million in continental Europe active in the field of collective singing. Our members are actively involved through: Did you know? · Membership Days · Working groups Consultations Online voting · · 4,5% of the European population are actively involved in collective singing
www.EuropeanChoralAssociation.org www.singingeurope.org
4 European Choral Association - Europa Cantat | Annual Report 2019 European Choral Association - Europa Cantat | Annual Report 2019 5 Dear readers, members and friends of the European Choral Association – Europa Cantat,
I'm glad to write some welcoming words from the pages of our Annual Report. It is an Welcome to this third edition of our Annual Report with which we are looking back at the important and valuable document, because it tells us who we are and what we do, year 2019 to share with you what happened during that year, both within and outside the representing also for ourselves a tool of awareness of all the activities, musical, creative, network project “Upgrade – Connect- Reach Out: Raising Awareness for Collective Singing strategic, relational, that the European Choral Association – Europa Cantat develops over the in Europe.” course of a year. The Annual Report not only gives a lot of information about what has been We will take you back to special moments such as the sessions of the EuroChoir and the concluded, but also stimulates new ideas and a look at what is to come. The year after the World Youth Choir (which celebrated its 30th anniversary), which both ended with concerts EUROPA CANTAT festival is for ECA-EC the first year of work of the new Board (this time in the frame of the impressive Choralies Festival and our Membership Weekend in Ljubljana very renewed) that has focused on its visions of the future in a three-day Strategic Retreat in which gave us a taste of what we can look forward to for the festival in 2021. If you were Girona. It is the year in which most of the contents of the next EUROA CANTAT Junior (2020 there you will think back with pleasure, if you were not you will hopefully feel encouraged in Vilnius) and the next EUROPA CANTAT Festival (2021 Ljubljana) are developed. Moreover to join next time. For us, 2019 will be remembered as the year in which we welcomed two in 2019 the new Leading Voices event (taking place in Utrecht in 2022) officially started its new team members, Estera Mihaila as Communication and Marketing Manager (who, among path. In short, it was a year of sowing, whose fruits we will reap in the years to come. So I others, created this wonderful Annual Report) and Sophie Dowden as Project and Fundraising take this opportunity to thank the Board, the Youth Committee, the steering committees and Manager (who immediately launched into preparing a major project application). We were sad music commissions, the Music Consultants and Advisors, for their work and the passion that to see Giulia Lodi and Côme Ferrand-Cooper go, and we would like to thank them for all they always animates it. On page 11 you will find the picture of someone who sowed seeds in the did for our association over the years – it was great to meet both of them again in Ljubljana choral field all his life. Michaël Scheck – the last President of AGEC and one of the motors last November. When your association is over 50 years old, unfortunately you regularly lose behind the merger with Europa Cantat – passed away in 2019, but what he planted is still important personalities from your past. In 2019 Michaël Scheck, last President of AGEC and blooming. Thank you, Michaël. one of the motors of the merger with Europa Cantat, passed away. We honoured him with a 2019 was also a year of successful activities, recounted in these pages. I would like to thank minute of silence at our General Assembly in Ljubljana. all the members and partners who organised them and created their contents, and all the Next to the network project mentioned above, we started two new projects in 2019 – the participants who are the recipients and at the same time the nourishment of our work. EPIC project dealing with auditioned youth music ensembles and SHIFT which aims at helping Finally, I would like to thank our Secretary General and all the staff in our office, a physically cultural organisations train their teams and boards on how to integrate some of the important
rather small place, a concentration of competence and passion that flows from Bonn to the UN Sustainable Development Goals into the work and the activities of the association. choral world. Enjoy revisiting what happened in 2019 and taking a glimpse at what lies ahead.
I wish you all an inspiring reading! Sonja Greiner
Carlo Pavese Secretary General President Chris MarchalChris
6 European Choral Association - Europa Cantat | Annual Report 2019 European Choral Association - Europa Cantat | Annual Report 2019 7 Singing Week Flanderns©RoosDevosSinging Week Festival Europa Cantat Torino Festival 2012 Europa Cantat Torino 2012
our network2019 ourHOW history IT ALL BEGAN Europa Cantat Festivals
Collective singing as an international tool to connect people On the model of the French festival Choralies in Vaison-la-Romaine (France) they decided to and countries after World War II: create a festival in which the singers would not only sing for each other, but also participate together in different workshops. A group of conductors from different European countries many of whom had been soldiers They would be sleeping in the same accommodation, eating together and spending their free during the war, met during a youth event at Loreley (Germany) and discussed what would be the time together, thus making friends for life. best way to make sure that their young singers would not want to go to to war with each other.
1952 1960 1961 1963 2011 2014
During the Tiroler Sängerfest Informal founding First EUROPA CANTAT festival in Signing of the Élysée Merger between Europa Cantat Incorporation of the in Innsbruck representatives meeting of the Passau (Germany) ending just a few Treaty and foundation of – European Federation of Young archives and the history of of choir associations in Austria, European Federation days before August 13th, 1961, when the "European Federation Choirs (EFCY), founded in 1960/1963 IDOCO (Internationale des Germany, the Netherlands and of Young Choirs the wall between Western and Eastern of Young Choirs" in Bonn and the Arbeitsgemeinschaft Organisations Culturelles Switzerland established the in Geneva Germany was closed. (later renamed "Europa Europäischer Chorverbände (AGEC), Ouvrières) which dissolved idea to promote choir singing (Switzerland). Cantat") founded in 1955. at the end of 2013. Since then, we have been organising by exchanging compositions, the festival every 3 years in a different choirs and other initiatives country. throughout Europe, followed by official foundation of AGEC in 1955.
10 European Choral Association - Europa Cantat | Annual Report 2019 European Choral Association - Europa Cantat | Annual Report 2019 11 ourCONNECT values PEOPLE AND CULTURES ourFOR COLLECTIVEvision SINGING IN EUROPE
FOSTER Being the pan-European non-profit organisation dedicated to EDUCATION and CULTURAL EXCHANGE in the field of collective singing among singers, conductors, composers and International cooperation and mutual understanding between managers of all ages, with a focus on children and young people. cultures, nations and individuals across social and political borders
SUPPORT STRATEGY Youth involvement · Strengthen the network and its members Facilitate peer-to-peer approach Culture · Arts Collective · Invest in capacity-building and training singing · Reach out to people who do not sing (yet) as tool for education Raise awareness for collective singing in Europe and community building ·
PROMOTE The strategy has been implemented and developed in tight cooperation with the membership Tolerance thanks to the project “Upgrade-Connect-Reach Out: raise awareness for collective singing in Europe” [see page 30], co-funded by the European Union Creative Europe Programme. The project aims also to connect and cooperate with other players in the field of Collective International Singing and beyond, and promote the benefits of singing for the individual and society. thinking & understanding
REPRESENT Promoting the Interests of the benefits of collective Networking singing community singing, based on research Cooperation projects Setting up and We endorse the five music rights, formulated by the European / participating International Music Council: ACTION PLAN · The right for all children and adults to express themselves musically in all freedom · The right for all children and adults to learn musical languages and skills · The right for all children and adults to have access to musical involvement through participation, listening, creation and information. Collecting, publishing and disseminating The right for musical artists to develop their artistry and communicate through all · Offering information repertoire, good practices media, with proper facilities and services and inspiring examples · The right for musical artists to obtain just recognition and fair remuneration. about collective Singing in Europe
www.imc-cim.org
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ourOUR members NETWORK
ICELAND
SWEDEN FINLAND
NORWAY
RUSSIA ESTONIA
LATVIA DENMARK LITHUANIA
BELARUS IRELAND UNITED POLAND KINGDOM NETHERLANDS GERMANY BELGIUM CZECH UKRAINE LUXEMBOURG REPUBLIC SLOVAKIA MOLDOVA LIECHTENSTEIN AUSTRIA HUNGARY FRANCE SWITZERLAND SLOVENIA CROATIA ROMANIA
BOSNIA AND SERBIA HERZEGOVINA
BULGARIA ITALY MONTENEGRO NORTH GEORGIA MACEDONIA ALBANIA ARZERBAIJAN SPAIN ARMENIA AZERBAIJAN
PORTUGAL GREECE TURKEY We gather members representing the broad diversity
MALTA of choral stakeholders in Europe. In addition, we have SYRIA CYPRUS associate members in 16 countries worldwide. LEBANON TUNISIA MOROCCO ISRAEL Country with organisations and member choirs JORDAN and individual members
ALGERIA LIBYA Country with choirs and individual members
EGYPT
14 European Choral Association - Europa Cantat | Annual Report 2019 European Choral Association - Europa Cantat | Annual Report 2019 15
· The Centre of International Cooperation SWITZERLAND BY END OF 2019 our62 MEMBER members ORGANISATIONS "Inter Aspect" · Schweizerische Chorvereinigung / Union SERBIA Suisse des chorales (SCV/USC/UCS) ARMENIA IRELAND · Serbian Choral Association · Schweizerische Föderation Europa Cantat · Armenian Little Singers · Association of Irish Choirs SLOVENIA (SFEC) (since 2019: Sing Ireland) AUSTRIA · Republic of Slovenia Public Fund for TURKEY · Chorverband Österreich (ChVÖ) ISRAEL Cultural Activities – (JSKD) · Koro Kültürü Derneği (Choral Culture Association) BELGIUM · Hallel – Israelian Choral Organisation SPAIN UNITED KINGDOM · European Music Festival for young ITALY · Confederación de Coros del País Vasco/ · Association of British Choral Directors (ABCD) people Neerpelt · Federazione Nazionale Italiana Associazioni Euskal Herriko Abesbatzen Elkartea (EAE) UKRAINE · Fédération Chorale Wallonie – Bruxelles – Regionali Corali (FENIARCO) · Federació Catalana d’Entitats Corals (FCEC) · All-Ukrainian Choral Society “Leontovich” (À Coeur Joie ASBL) · Südtiroler Chorverband · Moviment Coral Catalá – (MCC) · Association of National Pan-Ukrainian Music · Koor&Stem LATVIA · Secretariat de Corals Infantils de Catalunya Community · Vlaamse Federatie van Jonge Koren (VFJK) · Latvian Song Celebrations Society (SCIC) · NGO Osnova Society CROATIA LIECHTENSTEIN SWEDEN · Croatian Choral Directors Assocation · Fürstlich Liechtensteinischer Sängerbund · Eric Ericson International Choral Centre · Hrvatski sabor kulture-glazba (Croatian Cultural LITHUANIA · Sveriges Körförbund Association HRSK) · Lietuvos Choru Sajunga · UNGiKÖR ESTONIA LUXEMBOURG · Eesti Kooriühing · INECC Luxembourg (Institut Européen de (Estonian Choral Association) Chant Choral) FINLAND THE NETHERLANDS · SULASOL (Finnish Amateur Musicians' · Dutch Choir Festival NEW MEMBERS 2019 Association) · Landelijk Kennisinstituut Cultuureducatie · Tampere Vocal Music Festival en Amateurkunst (LKCA) FRANCE · Koornetwerk Nederland Association of National Pan-Ukrainian Music Community “Leontovich” · À Cœur Joie (ACJ) · ZIMIHC The National All-Ukrainian Music Union is one of the oldest and the largest professional creative associations · Confédération Musicale de France (CMF) NORWAY of Ukrainian artists, contributing to the development of Ukrainian music, supporting breakthroughs to high · Institut Français d’Art Choral (IFAC) · Norges Korforbund professionalism of universality of genres and means of expression. · Plate-Forme Interrégionale · Ung i Kor www.muzunion.com | contact: [email protected] · Polyfollia International · Norsk Sangerforum GEORGIA · Ung kirkesang · Georgian Choral Society PORTUGAL NGO Osnova Society GERMANY · Coros Portugal - Associação Portuguesa de Established in 2016 in Lviv, Ukraine, to help amateur choirs to participate in international festivals and · Arbeitskreis Musik in der Jugend (AMJ) Música Coral competitions, organize workshops for conductors and raise the visibility of scores among choirs. · Bundesvereinigung Deutscher ROMANIA contact: [email protected] Chorverbände e.V. (BDC) · Asociatia National Coral din Romania – (ANCR) · Deutsche Chorjugend e.V. RUSSIA · Deutscher Chorverband e.V. · Non-profit partnership "All-Russian Choral · Internationaler Chorleiterverband (ICV) Society" Interregional Conductors Association of Children and Youth Choirs of North-West GREECE · Regional public organization Moscow Music Founded by Irina Roganova in 2010 to unite choral conductors who are interested in development and · Hellenic Choirs Association Society learning new world choral achievements. Now it consists of around 100 members who represent about 250 HUNGARY · The Centre for the Creative Development choirs and vocal ensembles. The main activities of the Association are concerts, festivals, international choral · KÓTA – Association of Hungarian Choirs and Musical Aesthetic Education of Children competitions and summer schools for choirmasters, composers and concert masters. and Orchestras and Youth "Radost" www.choirlab.ru | contact: [email protected]
16 European Choral Association - Europa Cantat | Annual Report 2019 European Choral Association - Europa Cantat | Annual Report 2019 17 people JoinAS A MEMBER us BOARD 2019
CHOIRS CHORAL ORGANISATION FAMILIES Not-for-profit choral 4 TYPES OF and conductors' orga- 1 or 2 adults nisations in Europe MEMBERSHIP and their children and other not-for profit under 27 living organisations working at the same address for the development and INDIVIDUALS promotion of vocal music The governing body of the
ECA-EC association elected by, and representing the membership. ADVANTAGES CARLO PAVESE (Italy) | President SAVE MONEY MIHELA JAGODIC (Slovenia) | 1st Vice-President · Reduced participation fees at activities of ECA-EC JEAN-CLAUDE WILKENS (France) | 2nd, Artistic Vice-President · Reduced advertising fees for the website and brochures DERMOT O´CALLAGHAN (Ireland) | 3rd Vice-President MARTINE SPANJERS (The Netherlands) | Treasurer ACCESS TRAINGING AND INFORMATION
· Peer-to-peer training and workshops BURAK ONUR ERDEM (Turkey) · Access to a password-protected section of the website reserved for members FLANNERY RYAN (Germany) with documents for the General Assemblies MARTÍ FERRER (Spain) · Privileged access to the Musica International database (database of the world’s RAUL TALMAR (Estonia) choral music) through the password-protected section of the website LOTI PIRIS NIÑO (Belgium) · Regular publications (annual report and brochures) MARTIN WILDHABER (Switzerland)
GET INVOLVED IN THE EUROPEAN CHORAL LIFE · Participate in our General Assembly · Vote to elect the board (remote voting for individual, family and choir members) ECA-EC ARTISTIC STRATEGIC GROUP · Be a candidate for our board · Participate in our General Assembly JEAN-CLAUDE WILKENS (FR) | RAUL TALMAR (EE) | · Membership Day: share your visions with the other members Chair and ECA-EC Vice-President ECA-EC Board · Network with your peers MIHELA JAGODIC (SI) | MARTIN WILDHABER (CH) | · Get in touch with international contacts with the help of the general secretariat ECA-EC Vice-President ECA-EC Board · Use the logo and mention that you are a member of ECA-EC
BURAK ONUR ERDEM (TR) | ZEYNEP EREN KOVANKAYA (TR) | HOW TO JOIN? ECA-EC Board ECA-EC Youth Committee Download the form on www.EuropeanChoralAssociation.org Write to [email protected]
18 European Choral Association - Europa Cantat | Annual Report 2019 European Choral Association - Europa Cantat | Annual Report 2019 19 people YOUTH COMMITTEE 2019 ADVISORS
Former Board members of Europa Cantat, AGEC and ECA-EC, former members of the Music Commission who wish to stay in touch with the association.
Kjetil Aamann (NO) Guido Helbling (CH) Andrew Parrott (GB) Kari Ala-Pöllänen (FI) Rainer Held (CH) Theodora Pavlovitch (BG) Marleen Annemans (BE) Volker Hempfling (DE) Josep Prats (ES) ECA-EC Urbain van Asch (BE) Hans Hierck (BE/NL) Jonathan Rathbone (GB) Xavier Baulies (ES) Mihela Jagodic (SI) Aarne Saluveer (EE) SILVIJA PROČKYTĖ (LT) | Chair BARBARA BARAĆ (SI) – from November 2019 Barbara Bieri (DE) Hansruedi Kämpfen (CH) Michaël Scheck (BE) RUBEN TIMMER (NL) | Vice chair and treasurer ANNA BOBRIKOVA (RU/DE) Inessa Bodyako (BY) Reijo Kekkonen (FI) Jeroen Schrijner (CH/NL) ZEYNEP EREN KOVANKAYA (TR) | Secretary ALBERTO PALACÍN FERNANDEZ (ES) Filippo Maria Bressan (IT) Éva Kollár (HU) Jan Schumacher (DE) MATHILDE SANCHEZ (FR) | Communication MAŠA MEDVED (SI) – until November 2019 Nicola Campogrande (IT) Tamás Lakner (HU) Patrick Secchiari (CH) Elisenda Carrasco (ES) Harold Lenselink (NL) Christopher Simmons (GB) [email protected] Darina Chakarova (BG) Erwin List (FR) Fred Sjöberg (SE) Jim Daus Hjernøe (DK) Victoria Liedbergius (NO) Jean Smeets (BE) Séverine Delforge (BE) Cecilia Martin-Löf (SE) Dan-Olof Stenlund (SE) EUROPA CANTAT 2021 FESTIVAL MUSIC COMMISSION Julien Dubois (FR/NL) Koenraad de Meulder (BE) Kaie Tanner (EE) Ágnes Erdélyi (HU) Noël Minet (BE) Thierry Thiebaut (FR) ECA-EC Tomaž Faganel (SI) Donka Miteva (BG/DE) Alexander Vacek (UA) Sante Fornasier (IT) Gábor Móczár (HU) Aleksandar Vujic (RS) Lluís Gómez i Roldan (ES) Erik van Nevel (BE) Daphne Wassink (NL) Montserrat Gual (ES) Maria van Nieukerken (NL) Anneliese Zeh (AT)
Responsible for the artistic Maud Hamon-Loisance (FR) Margaret O’Sullivan (IE) contents of the EUROPA CANTAT Festival XX and other activities.
JEAN-CLAUDE WILKENS (FR) | Chair KATHARINA HENRYSSON (SE) JEROEN BECKERS (BE) DAMIJAN MOČNIK (SI) JULIA BLANK (DE) SIMONA ROŽMAN STRNAD (SI) MUSIC CONSULTANTS BURAK ONUR ERDEM (TR) RAUL TALMAR (EE) Help the organisation to reach out to countries otherwise not (well) represented in the DÓRA HALAS (HU) JOSEP VILA I CASAÑAS (ES) different bodies of the association and/or among its member organisations.
Zeljka Andric (BA) REGIONAL CENTRES Margrét Bóasdottir (IS) Consultant for cooperation with the Russian Joseph Lia (MT) Federation: They ensure a better contact with the growing membership and offer activities more easily Angelina Nicolaidou (CY) Pavel Brochin, Bonn (DE/RU) accessible for interested conductors, singers, composers or managers from the region. Dominika Semaňáková (SK) Krzysztof Szydzisz (PL) • Central – Eastern European Centre (CEEC) in Pécs, Hungary Sasho Tatarchevski (MK) • Mediterranean Office for Choral Singing (MOCS) – Mediterranean centre in Barcelona, Spain
20 European Choral Association - Europa Cantat | Annual Report 2019 European Choral Association - Europa Cantat | Annual Report 2019 21 teamSTAFF networkingWE ARE MEMBERS OF
Permanent staff
SONJA GREINER (DE) Secretary General [email protected]
SYLVIA KERUTT (DE) Office Manager International Music Council (IMC) [email protected] The world's leading membership-based professional
ALFRED JÜRGENS (DE) organisation dedicated to the promotion of the value of music Local Project Management in the lives of all peoples. [email protected] IMC's mission is to develop sustainable music sectors worldwide,
SOPHIE DOWDEN (GB) – from September 2019 to create awareness about the value of music, to make music Project and Fundraising Manager matter throughout the fabric of society and to uphold basic [email protected] music rights in all countries.
ESTERA MIHAILA (RO) – from September 2019 www.imc-cim.org Communication and Marketing Manager [email protected] European Music Council (EMC)
GIULIA LODI (IT) – until June 2019 The umbrella organisation for musical life in Europe. Communication Manager It is a platform for National Music Councils and organisations involved in various fields of music from many European countries. COME FERRAND COOPER (FR) – until August 2019 Project Manager www.emc-imc.org
International Federation for Choral Music (IFCM) Founded in 1982 for the purpose of facilitating communication and exchange between choral musicians throughout the world. Volunteer Translators Volunteers in Bonn (Germany) ECA-EC is a founding member and regional office. www.ifcm.net Bernadette Haury (DE) The volunteers for Youth Choirs in Alfred Jürgens (DE) Movement 2019, in Bonn, Germany: Alice Laroussi (FR/MA) Geneviève van Noyen (BE) Anna Bobrikova Alexander Oertel (DE) Barbara van Dorp Carla Riquelme (FR) Mechthild Kaluc Thea Winterburn (DE) Wolfgang Pomp Henrike Schauerte Adelheid Sodermann
22 European Choral Association - Europa Cantat | Annual Report 2019 European Choral Association - Europa Cantat | Annual Report 2019 23 networkingIN 2019 WE COOPERATED WITH
Culture Action Europe (CAE) Amateo European network of cultural organisations and individuals Network for enhancing information flow, especially about the dedicated to promote culture as a necessary condition for socio-cultural activities of the member organisations, political sustainable development both at local and European scale. support for the importance of active participation in cultural www.cultureactioneurope.org activities and the exchange of information and practice among the member organisations. Musica International www.amateo.info MUSICA has amassed data on almost 200,000 musical scores becoming an invaluable and powerful search tool and a teaching European Association for Music in Schools (EAS) resource for conductors, musicologists, schools, conservatoires Music education network. It brings together all those concer- and associations, libraries, music stockists and retailers. ned with music education to share and exchange knowledge and www.musicanet.org experience in professional fields and to advocate for high quality music education accessible to all. Choral Festival Network (CFN) www.eas-music.org Network of qualified international festivals and competitions, whose intention is to give fair and transparent participants' European Theatre Convention (ETC-ECT) conditions to choirs and individuals. Network of European public theatres founded in 1988 to promote www.choralfestivalnetwork.org contemporary drama theatre, to support the mobility of artists and to develop artistic exchange throughout Europe and beyond. www.etc-cte.org We cooperate with other European networks for common advocacy statements: Jeunesses Musicales International (JMI) Global network of NGOs that provides opportunities for young people and children to develop through music across European Alliance for Culture and the Arts all boundaries. Gathers 37 European networks urging policy makers to rethink the Partners of ECA-EC and IFCM in the World Youth Choir European approach and include culture and arts in the long-term Foundation. strategic goals of the European project. www.jmi.net www.allianceforculture.com
We have representatives on the Boards of IMC, EMC and IFCM.
24 European Choral Association - Europa Cantat | Annual Report 2019 European Choral Association - Europa Cantat | Annual Report 2019 25 networkingIN 2019 WE COOPERATED WITH
Network of European Museum Organisations (NEMO) University of Music Würzburg Founded in 1992 as an independent network of national museum The Music university of Würzburg is one of Germany’s oldest organisations represents the museum community of the member universities of music located in the city center of Würzburg in the states of the Council of Europe. Together, NEMO's members north of Bavaria. Around 250 instructors from all over the world, speak for over 30.000 museums across Europe. including numerous world famous artists, prepare about 700 www.ne-mo.org students each year for artistic, academic and pedagogical careers in the field of music. Trans Europe Halles (TEH) www.uni-wuerzburg.de A Europe-based network of cultural centres initiated by citizens and artists. TEH has been at the forefront of repurposing Europe’s World Youth Choir Foundation industrial buildings for arts, culture and activism since 1983. As of A remarkable educational and social experience at the highest 2017, TEH has brought together nearly 90 multidisciplinary cultural artistic level, aimed at talented young singers centres and other cultural organisations from across Europe. (17-26) from all over the world. www.teh.net Each year a session is organised in different countries under the direction of renowned conductors. The German National Youth Orchestra and the German www.worldyouthchoir.org National Youth Choir of the German Music Council The German Music Council represents the interests of about Network of Cantat festivals 14 million people who make music and it is the biggest umbrella We have an advisory role and cooperate with local and regional organisation for music in the world. With its more than 100 organisers of the AMERICA CANTAT and AFRICA CANTAT member associations and institutions, countless personalities festivals. from the music world, projects and promotional measures, the www.america-cantat.org organisation serves as an advisor and competence centre for www.AfricaCantat.org politics and civil society.
26 European Choral Association - Europa Cantat | Annual Report 2019 European Choral Association - Europa Cantat | Annual Report 2019 27 ©Choralies – A Cœr Joie
multiannual projects2019 · We offered a workshop on membership issues for the staff of member organisations and other culture networks and a workshop on storytelling for the participants of our Membership Weekend · We commissioned new choral works for several activities under the label of ECA-EC in 2019
Increased membership involvement in different ways: · Membership Day in November 2019, where the members discussed ideas for 2020 and reacted on the first proposal for a future strategy presented by the Board · Grants offered to (potential) members with reduced budgets, and new members were
© Matic Dolenc Matic © welcomed from countries previously not represented UPGRADE – CONNECT – REACH OUT Increased communication tools and methods: Raising Awareness for Collective Singing in Europe · Upgraded Website · a second, improved edition of printed annual report · Further increase in social media outreach 2017 – 2021 co-funded by by the EU Creative Europe · Webstreaming of the capacity building workshop on storytelling during our 2019 ECA-EC Programme under the strand for network projects Membership Weekend with up to 250.000 EUR per year. · Three webinars presenting the outcomes of the ‘Sing Me In’ project
New tools and resources
· A new section on our website presenting guidelines and handbooks on different topics collective singing sector collective singing (how to organise a low-budget event / how to include thinking about environmental issues sector outside the sector into the work of an association or a choir / how to organise a Young Event Management Programme etc.) The project aims at strengthening the network of the European Choral Association – Europa · A new section promoting composers Cantat, offering capacity-building and developing new (digital) tools under the keyword “Upgrade”, cooperating with other players in the sector of collective singing, enlarging the The association also reached out to many new partners in the choral sector scope of the network under the keyword “Connect”, and reaching out beyond the sector and beyond and worked on a strategy for 2021-2030: under the keyword “Reach Out”. · Attending different conferences and events of other associations
· Discussing concrete cooperation with a number of choral and non-choral associations In 2019, we: for the coming years · Continued the new activities developed in 2018 · Organising a strategy retreat for the board and team and sharing the results with the · Increased membership involvement further membership as first step for the development of a strategy for the years until 2030 · Continued upgrading the communication tools of the association in order to
reach new aim groups In 2020, most of the activities of 2019 will be continued, new webinars will be designed, a new database for membership management will be developed and we will start designing Activities: the campaign on the benefits of singing. · The Peer-to-Peer learning programme for staff members and conductors was developed further and adapted to the needs of the sector · Further research on the benefits of collective singing was collected and the PhD student www.EuropeanChoralAssociation.org chosen started working on the meta-study that will be published in 2021 Contact: [email protected]
30 European Choral Association - Europa Cantat | Annual Report 2019 European Choral Association - Europa Cantat | Annual Report 2019 31 Workshop on Membership Issues | May 2019 in Bonn (DE) Two-days workshop with organisations´ managers and staff of choral and non-choral associations
cooperationUPGRADE – CONNECT projects – REACH OUT
Financial Support for Peer-to-Peer Training Grants were given to five conductors and staff members from Norway, the Netherlands, Germany, United Kingdom and Turkey to facilitate their peer-to-peer exchanges in Russia, Belgium, Germany and Slovenia. Grants may be awarded to staff, board or youth committee
members of choral or conductors’ organisations or to individual conductors for international
peer-to-peer learning exchanges with other organisations, conductors or choirs. Workshop on on Storytelling | November 2019 in Ljubljana (SI) Workshop on Storytelling and Evaluation with Yvette van den Berg and Gerhard Sammer This programme offers participants the chance to spend some days learning from each other, with“ the support of Sonja Greiner. sharing experiences, and getting an insight into a foreign (working) culture.
I visited Ljubljana for three days from Tuesday to Friday and was able to watch almost every choir of the school. In addition to that, I was invited to visit a concert of three choirs and orchestra under the leadership of Damian Mocnic. [...] It was an extraordinary experience to visit St. Stanislav’s Institutions. My big big thank you goes to Helena Zupančič who organized my visit and took so much of her precious time to show me around. In 2020 Helena will come to Germany as a follow-up to my visit this year in Ljubljana. Stephan Lutermann, Vokalconsort Osnabrück “
© Kjetil Aamann Kjetil ©
“ Peer-to-Peer training is an excellent opportunity to exchange ideas and learn about similarities “ and differences between two organisations. While Norsk Sangerforum mainly is an organisation that focuses on creating frameworks for local activities in choirs, the Conductors Association of North-West We sat on the train on our way out of the Postojna Cave we visited on Saturday evening and I noticed my Russia is an organisation that focuses on producing activities, such as festivals, competitions and, of neighbor was breathing in deeply. He said: "I want to breathe in as much air of this place as possible." I course, these summer academies. A lot of what I learned from the week in Russia, I can use in my daily understood him perfectly. Not only was the magic of this cave worth keeping with us in our body: that was work at home in Norway. The international network that make up ECA-EC is important for their members. the exact feeling I had of the entire membership weekend. I breathed in the coming together with passio- Both the Interregional Conductors Association of North-West Russia and Norsk Sangerforum have nate people, the shared love of collective singing, the impactful stories that were being exchanged during developed activities for their members based on ideas picked up from other organisations and after the workshop on Storytelling, the music we got to experience, the beautiful locations in Slovenia in the network, and given them their own regional flavour. that we visited, the driven young members and their exciting new ideas, and above all the importance of Kjetil Aamann, Norsk Sangerforum “ coming together in song, in whatever way possible... I breathed it all in, now let's sing it out! Yvette van den Berg – workshop facilitator “ 32 European Choral Association - Europa Cantat | Annual Report 2019 European Choral Association - Europa Cantat | Annual Report 2019 33 SING OUTSIDE THE BOX
2017 – 2019 co-funded by the EU Creative Europe Programme Project coordinator Estonian Choral Association
Partners Estonian Choral Association (EE) www.kooriyhing.ee Sulasol (FI) www.sulasol.fi ZIMIHC (NL) www.zimihc.nl
SING ME IN This cooperation project, funded by the European Union Creative Europe scheme of the European Union, ran from May 2017 to April 2019. 2016 -2018 supported by EU Erasmus+ Programme How can collective singing get out of conventional choral venues and reach out to new Project coordinator European Choral Association – audiences? How can collective singing appeal to younger generations? Europa Cantat (ECA-EC) What aspects of the rehearsal process, of the repertoire, and the performance could be upgraded to better answer the expectations of millennials and of the following generation? Partners Estonian Choral Association (EE) www.kooriyhing.ee A Coeur Joie (FR) www.choralies.org | Sulasol (FI) www.sulasol.fi The project included two sessions of the EuroChoir, activities and ateliers during the Musica International (FR) www.musicanet.org EUROPA CANTAT festival in Tallinn as well as two conferences. Ung i Kor (NO) www.ungikor.no | ZIMIHC (NL) www.zimihc.nl Moviment Coral Català (CAT/ES) www.mcc.cat Koro Kulturu Dernegi (TR) www.korokulturu.org In 2019, the report about the project was submitted and approved by the European Commission. Koor&Stem (BE) www.koorenstem.be The project results can be found on the website. Fayha Choir (LB) www.fayhachoir.org
The “Sing Me In” project ran from October 2016 to September 2018. Its aim was to provide children and youth choir conductors and music teachers with pedagogical approaches and tools that allow collective singing activities to play a positive role in the integration process of young people with a migrant background.
The three handbooks, available in eleven languages, plus the repertoire guide in English, with full indexation in the Musica International database, and 35 pedagogical videos are still available on the ‘“Sing Me In” Website.
We have continued to inform about the project and promote the project results at different conferences in 2019, also pointing out that many of the tips and tricks can be applied to the
world of adult migrants. Viluksela Ahti ©
www.SingMeIn.eu www.SingOutsideTheBox.eu
34 European Choral Association - Europa Cantat | Annual Report 2019 European Choral Association - Europa Cantat | Annual Report 2019 35 newEP:IC cooperation projects
2019 – 2021 co-funded by the Creative Europe Programme of the European Union Project coordinator European Choral Association – Europa Cantat
The vision of EPIC is to improve the training of emerging professionals, foster the creation of new ensembles across Europe, prove the value and impact of auditioned youth music ensembles for the professionalisation and internationalisation of careers and provide advocacy material for those who need to ensure ongoing support for existing ensembles or
©Dolf Rabus©Dolf new ensembles to be created. STAMP – SHARED TRAINING The project aims will be reached through the following activities running from November
2016 – 2018 co-funded by the EU Erasmus+ 2019 to the end of 2021: Programme • A data collection, mapping the career path of former members of auditioned youth Project coordinator European Music Council ensembles (orchestras and choirs) • An involvement of the EuroChoir and the World Youth Choir as transnational laboratories for providing networking opportunities and the training of new skills • The networking of existing and potential National Youth Choirs’ organisers, to exchange Shared Training Activities for Music Professionals best practices and cooperation opportunities The ‘STAMP’ project was coordinated by the European Music Council (www.emc-imc.org) • Specific ateliers with preferential conditions for national youth choirs at the EUROPA and co-funded by the Erasmus+ programme of the European Union. CANTAT Festival in Ljubljana in 2021, The project’s aims were to promote and offer training and lifelong learning opportunities for • Gathering the singers themselves in an international context music professionals. • Online training / Webinars for emerging artists on topics such as how to prepare good
audition material / how to build a portfolio / how to find market opportunities It aimed to answer a need voiced by professionals in the music sector for greater VET • Dissemination of the results through the network of partners and associate partners (vocation, education and training) and the related process of lifelong learning. The results of the project including guidelines on how to organise a Young Event Management Partners Programme ‘YEMP’ and the toolbox for (young) conductors, gathered by ECA-EC, are shared Jeunesses Musicales International www.jmi.net on the project website.
JSKD Republic of Slovenia Public Fund for Cultural Activities www.jskd.si
Sing Ireland www.singireland.ie
www.stamp-music.org www.europeanchoralassociation.org/epic
36 European Choral Association - Europa Cantat | Annual Report 2019 European Choral Association - Europa Cantat | Annual Report 2019 37 © ECTorino Festival SHIFT SHARED INITIATIVES FOR TRAINING TRAINING LEADING VOICES
2019 – 2021 co-funded by the EU Erasmus+ 2020 – 2023 Application submitted to the EU Creative Programme Europe Programme in autumn 2019 Project coordinator European Music Council Project coordinator ZIMIHC Co coordinator European Choral Association – Europa Cantat
Climate change, gender equality and inclusion are key challenges for our rapidly changing world. Arts and culture have a recognised role in shaping societies and have the potential to significantly contribute to a better and more sustainable future for all, as recognised in the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). The project SHIFT will provide training initiatives for cultural leaders, working together and creating paths to face such global challenges. The key targets of the are implementing changes where needed and passing on the gained knowledge to leaders and staff members of cultural networks and the broader cultural sector.
The partners will produce online manuals and guidelines during the two next years (December 2019-December 2021) on the following themes:
• Cultural Leadership Kytöharju Maarit © ©Maarit Kytöharju ©Maarit • Climate Change In late 2019 the European Choral Association – Europa Cantat joined forces with ZIMIHC • Inclusion as coordinators to submit an application for funding under the Creative Europe Programme • Gender and Power Relations of the European Union. If successful, the project will focus on the professionalisation and internationalisation of the careers of vocal and choral leaders. Partners As partners of the project, ECA-EC will be leading on the inclusion intellectual output. Partners
ECA-EC – European Choral Association – Europa Cantat www.europeanchoralassociation.org A Cœur Joie France www.choralies.fr ELIA – European League of Institutes of the Arts www.elia-artschools.org EMCY – European Union of Music Competitions for Youth www.emcy.org Feniarco www.feniarco.it/en FACE – Fresh Arts Coalition Europe www.fresh-europe.org IETM – International network for contemporary performing arts www.ietm.org JSKD Republic of Slovenia Public Fund www.jskd.si International Music Council www.imc-cim.org for Cultural Activities On the Move www.on-the-move.org Trans-Europe Hall www.teh.net Find them all on our website under Projects.
www.shift-culture.eu www.europeanchoralassociation.org/cooperation-projects
38 European Choral Association - Europa Cantat | Annual Report 2019 European Choral Association - Europa Cantat | Annual Report 2019 39 Study tour Tampere ©Maarit Kytöharju ©Maarit Tampere tour Study xxx
activities2019 THIS WAS 2019: ACTIVITIES Festival di Primavera Cantat America Management membership on Workshop Study tour Tampere©Maarit Kytöharju Tampere©Maarit tour Study ACDA Convention ACDA JANUARY FEBRUARY MARCH APRIL MAY
15-16/01 10-12/02 20/03 4-6 + 10-13/04 4/05 Database meeting with A Cœur Joie | Malta meeting of European Network ECA-EC Executive 17th Festival di Primavera | EuropaTag | Bonn (DE) Lyon (FR) Coordinators | Valletta (MT) Board meeting | Montecatini Terme (IT) Utrecht (NL) 15-17/05 18-20/01 13-15/02 4/04 | Musikmesse Frankfurt | Workshop on Membership Choir weekend with Brady Allred and IFCM Board meeting | Lisbon (PT) 21-22/03 Frankfurt (DE) Management | Bonn (DE) Nicolas Fink | Schaffhausen (CH) Culture Action Europe 18-19/02 members forum | 6-13/04 16-18/05 18-20/01 EMC reception at European Brussels (BE) America Cantat 9 | EAS Conference | Malmö (SE) Steering Committee meeting for Parliament | Brussels (BE) Ciudad de Panamá (PA) evaluation of EC Festival | Tallinn (EE) 24-26/04 22-24/02 18/04 Meeting of EC Festival 18-20/01 Chor@Berlin | Meeting with EUROPA Music Commission and Steering Meeting President, Treasurer Berlin (DE) CANTAT 2021 organisation team | Committee | and team | Bonn (DE) Terme Olimia (SI) Ljubljana (SI) 27/02–2/03 ACDA Convention | 24-26/04 23/05 Kansas City (US) ECA-EC Board meeting | Sing Me In webinar 1 Bonn (DE) 24/05 27/04 Sing Me In webinar 2 ECA-EC Youth Committee meeting | Bonn (DE) 27/05 ACTIVITIES OF ECA-EC Sing Me In webinar 3 NETWORKING Designed by ECA-EC with a typical structure adapted each time for a different country. 29-30/04 ECA-EC is involved in the artistic aspects and in the decisions making process. AND DISSEMINATION Participation fee includes reductions for ECA-EC members. World Youth Choir Board meeting | Brussels (BE) ACTIVITIES IN PARTNERSHIP WITH ECA-EC ACTIVITIES ECA-EC TEAM Artistic programme developed in partnership with ECA-EC. AND BOARD Participation fees are based on the ECA-EC solidarity system.
ACTIVITIES PROMOTED BY ECA-EC Choral activities that follow the 3 principles [non-competitive, educational, international]. ECA-EC has no responsibility for the quality of these events.
42 European Choral Association - Europa Cantat | Annual Report 2019 European Choral Association - Europa Cantat | Annual Report 2019 43 THIS WAS 2019: ACTIVITIES Nordklang©Lars Jansson Kidwel Choir©Claire Youth World Flandern Week Singing Choralies EuroChoir ECA EC
JUNE JULY AUGUST
5-9/06 1/07 18/07– 3/08 1-9/08 Study Tour / Tampere Vocal Friends of Choral Music meeting | World Youth Choir | Choralies | Music Festival | Tampere (FI) Amsterdam (NL) 30th Anniversary Session and Tour Vaison-la-Romaine (FR) (FR/PT) 9-12/06 2/07 1-9/08 International Choir Competition Working Group Leading Voices 28-29/07 EuroChoir | Marktoberdorf | Marktoberdorf (DE) 2022 | Utrecht (NL) World Choral Expo and Vaison-la-Romaine (FR) IFCM GA and Board Meeting | 12-13/06 9-10/07 Lisbon (PT) 22-25/08 EMC Agenda for music follow-up | Meeting Communication Managers abcd Choral Leader's Festival | Warsaw (PL) of European Networks | Bonn (DE) Birmingham (GB)
17/06 8-14/07 25/08 – 1/09 EU Creative Europe Networks – 54th International Choral Festival | 10th European Academy meeting | Brussels (BE) Barcelona (ES) for Young Conductors | Fano (IT) 21-24/06 8-15/07 Mediterranean Choral Forum | Singing Week Flanders | Ghent (BE)
Lisbon (PT) et 8-15/07 26-30/06 Course for Young Choral Youth Choirs in Movement | Conductors | Ghent (BE) Bonn (DE)
26-30/06 ACTIVITIES OF ECA-EC XVII Nordklang | Helsingborg (SE) ACTIVITIES IN PARTNERSHIP WITH ECA-EC
ACTIVITIES PROMOTED BY ECA-EC
NETWORKING AND DISSEMINATION
ACTIVITIES ECA-EC TEAM AND BOARD
44 European Choral Association - Europa Cantat | Annual Report 2019 European Choral Association - Europa Cantat | Annual Report 2019 45 THIS WAS 2019: ACTIVITIES ECA-EC sing people the Let Kidwel Choir©Claire Youth World ECA-EC ©Nika SEPTEMBER OCTOBER NOVEMBER DECEMBER
11/09 4-6/10 15-17/11 6-7/12 Eurotreff opening ceremony | ECA-EC Strategy Meeting | Girona (ES) ECA-EC Membership Weekend IFCM Executive Board meeting | Wolfenbüttel (DE) 2019 & capacity-building workshop Lisbon (PT) 11-12/10 on Storytelling | 12-15/09 World Youth Choir Board meeting | Ljubljana (SI) chor.com | Manresa (ES) Hannover (DE) 27-29/11 12-13/10 EUROPA CANTAT Festival 23/09 Let the Peoples Sing | Barcelona (ES) Music Commission and Steering Culture Action Europe event Committee | at European Parliament | 16/10 Ljubljana (SI) Brussels (BE) Committee meeting German National Youth Choir | 27/09–1/10 Bonn (DE) European / International Music Council General Assembly | 17-18/10 Paris (FR) Preparatory Meeting BTHVN 2020 | Bonn (DE) 27/09–1/10 6th World Forum on Music | 18-20/10 Paris (FR) 9th International Competition for Young Conductors | Paris & Versailles (FR)
21-22/10 EU Creative Europe Kick-off meeting | Brussels (BE)
ACTIVITIES OF ECA-EC 23-25/10 Culture Action Europe General Assembly ACTIVITIES IN PARTNERSHIP WITH ECA-EC
+ BTO Conference | Konstanz (DE) & ACTIVITIES PROMOTED BY ECA-EC Kreuzlingen (CH) NETWORKING AND DISSEMINATION
28/10 ACTIVITIES ECA-EC TEAM Meeting for EC Junior 2020 | Vilnius (LT) AND BOARD
46 European Choral Association - Europa Cantat | Annual Report 2019 European Choral Association - Europa Cantat | Annual Report 2019 47 “
activitiesIN 2019 Once upon a time, I was pretty much convinced I could tell a story worth listening to, turn an idea into enthusiasm and support through mere play on words. I was convinced, but not always convincing: building an emotional bond, and triggering adhesion through words takes some training. More than 7000 participants That I discovered during the exciting workshop on Storytelling from 58countries I was lucky to attend during the Membership Weekend of the European Choral Association - Europa Cantat. The afternoon ECA-EC provided us with invaluable tools to build up a story, capturing the attention of an audience and taking them along Argentina Greece Poland a journey towards a resolution in a systemic way. Of course, Austria Guatemala Portugal mastering this art would likely require more input and Belgium Hungary Qatar training, but it was a lively and motivating introduction Bosnia-Herzegovina Indonesia Romania to a new way to communicate.
Brazil Ireland Russia Côme Ferrand-Cooper, France
Bulgaria Israel Serbia Canada Italy Slovakia “ Chile Japan Slovenia “ China Kazakhstan South Korea Congo Lebanon South Africa Croatia Lithuania Spain We felt deeply the new perspective Cyprus Luxembourg Sweden on music we studied before. By the end of the Czech Republic Malaysia Switzerland practice the singing room was filled with Turkish Denmark Malta Turkey melodies and good vibes. The positive spirit continued Estonia Mexico Ukraine
ARUBA into the night and the merry singing did not cease Finland Morocco United Kingdom when the singers and our conductor for the day France Netherlands USA moved into a nearby bar and sang our hearts Gabon Niger Venezuela away. We shall cherish this wonderful Germany Norway international and multicultural experience and Ghana Peru © Maljuga © hope to meet Burak again soon. Next time perhaps in Istanbul.
Chamber Choir Ljubljanski Madrigalisti Peer-to-Peer learning “
48 European Choral Association - Europa Cantat | Annual Report 2019 European Choral Association - Europa Cantat | Annual Report 2019 49 activitiesOF ECA-EC activitiesOF ECA-EC
These are activities that are designed by the European Choral Association – Europa Cantat which travelling between different countries. They have a typical structure which remains the same with some aspects adapted each time.
ECA-EC is involved in the artistic design and the most important decision-making processes of these events. The participation fees include reduced fees for direct and indirect member of ECA-EC and for participants from specific country groups (based on a solidarity system). Choralies, Concerty Atelier, EuroChoir, YCIM, Let the people sing people the Let YCIM, EuroChoir, Atelier, Concerty Choralies, sing people the Let YCIM, EuroChoir, Atelier, Concerty Choralies,
50 European Choral Association - Europa Cantat | Annual Report 2019 European Choral Association - Europa Cantat | Annual Report 2019 51 activities5TH EDITION OF YOUTH CHOIRS IN MOVEMENT 9TH INTERN. COMPETITION FOR YOUNG CONDUCTORS
26-30 June 2019 | Bonn, Germany 18-20 October 2019 | Paris and Versailles, France Organisers: European Choral Association – Europa Cantat Organisers: European Choral Association – Europa Cantat in cooperation with in cooperation with Arbeitkreis Musik in der Jugend (AMJ) IFAC – Institut Français d´Art Choral Centre de Musique Baroque de Versailles Festival for equal voice children’s and youth choirs, boys’ choirs, mixed youth Chœur de l´Orchestre de Paris choirs, with workshops, concerts and offers for conductors. 1ST PRIZE: Ingrid Roose (EE) 664 participants from 7 countries 2ND PRIZE: Justus Barleben (DE) Russia, Lithuania, Portugal, Spain, Switzerland, Germany, the Netherlands 3RD PRIZE: Jonas Rasmussen (DK) ECA-EC
SPECIAL PRIZES
SPECIAL PRIZE OF THE NOËL MINET FUNDS BEST INTERPRETATION OF A FRENCH Yeonju Lee (KR) BAROQUE PIECE
ECA-EC Quintin Beer (GB)) SPECIAL PRIZE OF THE EUROPEAN Ateliers YOUTH CHOIR FESTIVAL BASEL BEST INTERPRETATION OF THE THE GROOVE OF CLASSICAL MUSIC MOVE AROUND THE WORLD Tanguy Bouvet (FR) COMMISSIONED WORK «BRIGHTEST STAR» Conductor: Alessandro Cadario (IT) Conductor: Marleen de Boo (BE) Jonas Rasmussen (DK) SPECIAL PRIZE OF THE EUROPEAN CHORAL MULTICULTURAL MUSIC MUSIC FOR BOYS’ CHOIR AND ROCK BAND ASSOCIATION – EUROPA CANTAT PRIZE OF THE CHOIR OF PARIS ORCHESTRA Conductor: Ken Wakia (KE) Conductor: Hans-Joachim Lustig (DE) Kristina Bogataj (SI) Ingrid Roose (EE) Choreographer: Anne Weyler (DE) MOUNTAIN NIGHTS AUDIENCE PRIZE Conductor: Friederike Stahmer (DE) CHORAL THEATRE Justus Barleben (DE) Conductor: Basilio Astulez (ES) REVOLTING KIDS Conductors: Irina Brochin & Karina Schwarz (RU/DE) FOLK SONGS WITH MOVEMENT europeanchoralassociation.org/activities/awards-and-competitions/ Conductor: Silvère van Lieshout (NL) www.artchoral.org www.cmbv.fr www.EuropeanChoralAssociation.org/Kinderchorfestival www.orchestredeparis.com/fr/accueil
52 European Choral Association - Europa Cantat | Annual Report 2019 European Choral Association - Europa Cantat | Annual Report 2019 53 EUROCHOIR activitiesWORLD YOUTH CHOIR
1-9 August 2019 | Vaison-la-Romaine, France 18 July–3 August 2019 | France and Portugal Organisers: European Choral Association – Europa Cantat Organisers: World Youth Choir Foundation in cooperation with Plate-Forme in cooperation with À Cœur Joie France Interrégionale, ARPA – Occitanie Centre culturel de Sylvanès and JM France Patrons: Jeunesses Musicales International, International Federation for Choral Music, European Choral Association – Europa Cantat
The 2019 session celebrated the World Youth Choir’s 30th anniversary, hosting an emotional reception in Palacete dos Condes de Monte Real, in Lisbon, Portugal. Among the guests were alumni singers from the previous choirs dating back to the very first one, in 1989, and a 2nd reception after the final concert at Choralies in Vaison-la-Romaine.
58 singers from 28 countries Argentina, Brazil, Belgium, Canada, China, Estonia, France, Germany, Greece, Guatemala, Indonesia, Ireland, Italy, Japan, Hungary, Kazakhstan, Malaysia, Mexico, the Netherlands,
Norway, Peru, Portugal, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, United Kingdom, USA, Venezuela.
The World Youth Choir offers a remarkable educational and social experience at the highest
EuroChoir©ECA-EC, Choralies©Feniarco EuroChoir©ECA-EC, artistic level, aimed at talented young choir singers (17-26), from all over the world. Every year a session is organised in different country that takes the young musical talents that A unique choral event organised every year in a different country that offers the opportunity compose the WYC touring in selected locations, under the direction of renowned conductors. to young singers to get together for 8 days to rehearse a challenging programme and improve conductors. their vocal skills with a vocal trainer, presenting the results of their work in public concerts. This special choir aims to promote European choral music among young singers and to
encourage cultural exchange within Europe.
42 participants from 19 countries
Austria, Belgium, Brazil, China, Finland, France, Germany, Hungary, Ireland, Malta,
The Netherlands, Poland, Portugal, Russian Federation, Slovenia, Spain, Switzerland, WYC©Claire Kidwel, WYC Foundation s “ Turkey and“ United States. Conductor: Yuval Weinberg The feelings I had in my first session was unbelievable. The high level of the musicians and at the same time the humanity we developed in the session fulfilled me. The feelings I had in the rehearsals and concerts All the singers from all the choirs that participated in this festival were in one place. are so deep that I cannot explain now in just few sentences. I really hope that many others could have this We all together were singing the same music pieces as one single person. The concept of opportunity to grow up as a better singer and as a better citizen of the world. open singing is to share the energy, the enthusiasm and the love for music. Emanuele Petracco, Italy | singer Jovana Jankovic “ “ NEXT EDITION: 30 JULY – 20 AUGUST 2020 [email protected] TOURING WITH THE NATIONAL YOUTH www.worldyouthchoir.org www.TheEurochoir.org ORCHESTRA OF GERMANY
54 European Choral Association - Europa Cantat | Annual Report 2019 European Choral Association - Europa Cantat | Annual Report 2019 55 activitiesMEMBERSHIP WEEKEND MEMBERSHIP WEEKEND
15–17 November 2019 | Ljubljana, Slovenia 116 participants from 26 countries Organisers: European Choral Association – Europa Cantat with JSKD Republic of Slovenia NETWORKED CONTRIBUTED
Choral lovers, professionals and managers gathered for two full days in Ljubljana, Slovenia Our members presented 16 projects from ECA-EC gathered its members to work on hot topics for the Membership Weekend of 2019. all over Europe on: stage-less concerts, of the sector, contribute to the future development of stronger singing communities, new the network’s activities and orientation and provide The members had the chance to interact with each other, share time and meals together, educational publications and much more. a structured feedback to the Board, presented in the sing along with a mandolin orchestra, share a train ride through the fascinating Postojna General Assembly. Cave, chatting about last year’s concerts and events and looking forward to exciting news of the choral world. LEARNED MEMBERSHIP DAY GENERAL ASSEMBLY
HOW TO TELL THEIR STORIES ABOUT SLOVENIAN MUSIC BACKGROUND AND THE NEXT A practical workshop on showcasing the power EUROPA CANTAT FESTIVAL CITY and value of well told story, with guidance from The participants were guided through the rich Yvette van den Berg and external input on impact musical heritage of Slovenia, followed by a tour of evaluation (Gerhard Sammer) and inspiring Ljubljana, the host city of EUROPA CANTAT 2021. storytelling examples (Sonja Greiner).
EXPERIENCED LJUBLJANA One of the smallest capitals of Europe, Ljubljana is a delight to the eyes and has something to offer for every taste, filled SLOVENIAN MUSIC
s with beauty and mystery. The participants experienced the ECA-EC incredible richness of Slovenian music EUROPA CANTAT FESTIVAL RECEIVES HONORARY PATRONAGE through the performances of: Children's POSTOJNA JAMA CAVE We are touched to have received the honorary patronage from Borut Pahor, the President of Choir of Elementary School Ledina, A majestic ending to the Membership Weekend Slovenia for the EUROPA CANTAT Festival, a moment of great significance and support for the Children's choir of Cvetko Golar Elementary was the train ride through the Postonja Cave, work choral organisations do all over Europe to encourage and develop this wonderful artform. School, Volk Folk, Janez Jocif, the Chamber meeting the 'dragons' and enjoying the 'Rays of Choir of the Ljubljana Conservatory for Underworld' concert of St. Nicholas Choir Litija, NEXT EDITION: Membership Weekend ECA-EC 2020 > 20-22 Nov. 2020 | Galway, Ireland Music and Ballet and Orchestra Mandolina. conducted by Helena Fojkar Zupancic. www.EuropeanChoralAssociation.org/activities/conferences/ga-2019
56 European Choral Association - Europa Cantat | Annual Report 2019 European Choral Association - Europa Cantat | Annual Report 2019 57 activitiesGRANTS NOËL MINET FUND GRANTS
for participation in the for organisations bringing an additional representative attending the Course for Young Choral Conductors Capacity-Building "Workshop on Membership Management" July 2019 | Ghent, Belgium May 2019 | Bonn, Germany
• Marco Fornasier (IT) • Anabella Svajko (SK) • Jovana Jankovic (RS) • Lisa Mechin (FR) • Kjetil Aamann (NO) • Lilly Lacey (IE) • Thomas Hessels (NL) • Borbála Pribay (HU)
Capacity-Building "Workshop on Storytelling" November 2019 | Ljubljana
• Côme Ferrand-Cooper (FR) • Çağlar Tosunoğlu (TR)
for representatives of Choral Organisations from Central- and South-Eastern Europe attending our Membership Weekend November 2019 | Ljubljana Aleksandra, Bilge Nur, Jovana Jankovic Jovana Nur, Bilge Aleksandra, • Dominika Semanakova (SK) • Andriy Onyskiv (UA) for participation in • Kristina Gotthardty (SK)
EUROCHOIR | August 2019 | Vaison la Romaine, France
• Bilge Nur (TR) • Aleksandra Galkina (EE) • Oleksandra“ Polytsia (UA)
Our teacher of conducting, Dieter Staelens, was really helpful and motivating. He is really professional, knows
how to pass on knowledge. "I like the way you conduct." This is the phrase that all of us remember because he
never said, we aren’t good enough to become a conductor. This course taught me something: ECA-EC “ “ If you don’t dare to try it, you won’t know what you can do. Anabella Svajko, Slovakia “ The main impressions for me from these days were the high level of preparation All the members of EuroChoir 2019 family were very friendly, gentle, caring and can empathize. Of course, the of the GA from the ECA-EC staff, very interesting discussions during membership days and high enthusiasm most important thing was that all of us were united by our common passion – choral art. I was very curious to see from the Slovenian team, who try to represent their country and the choral association how all these people, independently of being professional musicians or coming from different countries are of their country the best they can. I need to learn this from them. able to sound so beautifully together. Andriy Onyskiv, Ukraine Aleksandra Galinka, Estonia “ “ 58 European Choral Association - Europa Cantat | Annual Report 2019 European Choral Association - Europa Cantat | Annual Report 2019 59 activitiesACTIVITIES IN PARTNERSHIP WITH ECA-EC activitiesACTIVITIES IN PARTNERSHIP WITH ECA-EC
17TH FESTIVAL DI PRIMAVERA SINGING WEEK FLANDERS 4-6 and 10-13 April 2019 | Montecatini Terme, Tuscany, Italy 8-15 July 2019 | Ghent, Belgium Organised by FENIARCO, in collaboration with Organised by Koor & Stem in cooperation with VFJK Tuscany Regional Choral Association for Choirs (ACT) The heart of the beautiful city of Ghent hosted the Singing week with inspiring ateliers for youth and adults and a special atelier ‘singing outside the box’, teaching the participants to break the norm. Daily open singing, The Festival di Primavera is an international choral festival that has reached now the 17th edition. choir – to – choir concerts, innovative contents and exciting repertoires made it a week to remember. The beautiful Tuscany hosts a festival where children and young people study together, perform in concerts, know each other and share happy times. Renowned Italian and foreign lecturers lead the www.koorenstem.be /singingweek ateliers with a high-quality proposal addressed to the young participants and their conductors. The repertoire was addressed towards a multiplicity of genres enriched by exciting performances and by the great involvement of the singers and the audience of the concerts. COURSE FOR YOUNG CHORAL CONDUCTORS
NEXT EDITION: 8-16 and 22-25/04/2020 > Montecatini Terme, Tuscany, Italy 8-15 July 2019 | Ghent, Belgium Organised by Koor & Stem in cooperation with VFJK www.feniarco.it During the Singing Week, 15 young choral conductors had the chance to experience new techniques and methods and improve their conducting skills through a week-long course, under the guidance of Dieter CHORALIES Staelens (BE) and Annick Desair (BE).
1-9 August 2019 | Vaison-la-Romaine, France www.koorenstem.be /singingweek Organised by À Cœur Joie France
A unique rendez-vous happening every three years in France, where choral music lovers met to discover and exchange all kinds of music and practices and enjoy listening to or joining in singing over 1000 pieces of repertoire. The days passed with over 3000 people exploring the South of France, finding likeminded people, networking, developing new cooperations and keeping up with the current trends of choirs. This festival edition also hosted the EuroChoir.
www.choralies.fr Festival di Primavera, Singing week Choralies Flanders, 10TH EUROPEAN ACADEMY FOR YOUNG CONDUCTORS 25 August - 1 September 2019 | Fano, Italy MEDITERRANEAN CHORAL FORUM Organised by Feniarco in collaboration with ARCOM, Coro Polifonico Malatestiano 21-24 June 2019 | Lisbon, Portugal and Incontro Internazionale Polifonico Città di Fano Organised by Coros Portugal – Portuguese Association for Choral Music, A professional masterclass open to experienced choral conducts who had the chance to practise Moviment Coral Català and the Mediterranean Office for Choral Singing (MOCS) with a high-level pilot choir, which was at their disposal for the duration of the course. Choral
This edition of the Mediterranean Choral Forum was a fantastic platform that allowed choral conductors were also able to learn new methods and improve their skills with the help of Virginia specialists from all over the Mediterranean area to meet, to share information, to experience Bono (AR), the lecturer. and create new visions for the choral life, focusing on the actors in Lisbon and Portugal At the end of the week, the best participants conducted a concert comprising a repertoire (composers, conductors, choirs, festivals, organisations, etc.). focusing on composers from South America from Renaissance to the present day.
www.mcc.cat www.koorenstem.be /singingweek
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activitiesFROM THE NETWORK | PROMOTED BY ECA-EC ADVOCACY WORK IN 2019
Activities that ECA-EC promotes if they have to following three principles: mostly non-competitive, educational In 2019 we continued with our advocacy work with the aim of promoting collective singing and its benefits on the and international, defined for their purpose. The concept, structure and artistic programme are developed by individual and society and promoting the importance of amateur music-making.
the local organisers alone and ECA-EC has no responsibility for the quality of these activities. • We continued spreading the Singing Europe study and presenting it at different occasions, stressing the fact that 37 million people are practicing collective singing in continental Europe, representing 4,5% of the population which cannot so easily be neglected
• The PhD Student of the Music University in Würzburg continued collecting research on the benefits of collective singing for a meta-study to be published in 2021
• We brainstormed with our members at the Membership Day on how to design the campaign on the benefits of singing that we are planning for 2021
• By presenting three webinars on the project ‘Sing Me In’ (see page 34) and presenting the project results at different conferences, we continued promoting collective singing as a tool to support the integration process of (young) migrants ACDA Convention, Nordklang, Study tour Tampere tour Study Nordklang, Convention, ACDA
• We joined a follow-up meeting on the European Agenda for Music coordinated by the European Music Council, and CHOIR WEEKEND WITH BRADY ALLRED 54TH INTERNATIONAL gave examples of how specialised music organisations can “translate” its contents to their own realities and contexts and can integrate elements into their own strategies AND NICOLAS FINK CHORAL FESTIVAL Schaffhausen, Switzerland | 18-20 January 2019 Barcelona, Spain | 8-14 July 2019 • We participated in several meetings and exchanges on the new Creative Europe programme (2021 to 2027), and we Organised by Swiss Federation Europa Cantat (SFEC) Organised by Federació Catalana d’Entitas Corals (FCEC) promoted the development of the pilot programme “Music Moves Europe”
www.europa-cantat.ch www.fcec.cat • We promoted/advertised for the different calls of Music Moves Europe as well as the pilot mobility calls and shared information about the call for Cultural Cooperation Projects in the Western Balkans AMERICAN CHORAL DIRECTORS 34TH ANNUAL CONVENTION ABCD ASSOCIATION NATIONAL CONFERENCE Birmingham, United Kingdom | 22-25 August 2019 • We participated in a survey for the European Music Observatory and provided information and data
Kansas City, Missouri, United States | Organised by the Association of British Choral • We joined a campaign, initiated by organisations from the music industry sector, concerning the new Copyright 27 February – 2 March 2019 Directors (ABDC) Directive Organised by American Choral Directors Association (ACDA) www.abcd.org.uk • We joined the Culture Action Europe event in Brussels to welcome new Members of the European Parliament (MEPs) www.acda.org CHOR.COM interested in culture AMERICA CANTAT 9 Hannover, Germany | 12-15 September 2019 • We joined the successful campaign of Culture Action Europe on bringing back culture into the title of the Ciudad de Panamá, Panama | 6-13 April 2019 Organised by: Deutsche Chorverband e.V. (DCV) corresponding commissioner Organised by Organización America cantat in www.chor.com • We joined forces with Culture Action Europe, the European Music Council and others to stress the importance of collaboration with Asociatión Música Viva supporting non-profit associations in the field of culture and to adapt the system of evaluation of the financial capacity LET THE PEOPLE SING www.americacantat.org of applicants to the Creative Europe programme to the reality of organisations that receive public funding and cannot Barcelona, Spain | 12-13 October 2019 build reserves STUDY TOUR – TAMPERE Organised by the European Broadcasting • We attended the conference of EAS, the European Association of Music in Schools, to promote singing in music VOCAL MUSIC FESTIVAL Union (EBU) and the Catalunya Ràdio education and present examples of advocacy work Tampere, Finland | 5-9 June 2019 www.ebu.ch/radio/projects/let-the-peoples-sing Organised by Tampere Vocal Music Festival • We contributed to and co-signed a number of advocacy documents sent out by Culture Action Europe, the European CONDUCTORS STUDY TOUR www.tamperemusicfestivals.fi/vocal Alliance for Culture and the Arts and a group of music organisations including Creative Industries. Derry, Ireland | 19-25 October 2019 • We supported the European Parliament Election campaign of Culture Action Europe and the European Music Council XVII NORDKLANG Organised by Association of Irish Choirs (AOIC) to encourage people to vote and to ask their MEPs about their vision for culture in Europe Helsingborg, Sweden | 26-30 June 2019 in partnership with the City of Derry International Organised by Sveringes Körförbund Choir Festival • We advocated and will continue to advocate for an increase of the budget for the Culture strand of the next cycle of the Creative Europe programme, with the aim of doubling this budget. www.nordklang.org www.singireland.ie
62 European Choral Association - Europa Cantat | Annual Report 2019 European Choral Association - Europa Cantat | Annual Report 2019 63 WHAT ARE 2020-2021WHAT WILL HAPPEN IN 2020 AND BEYOND? YOUR PLANS This list represents the events planned for 2020 at the time this report went to press. Dates may be subject to change due to the impacts of the Covid-19 outbreak worldwide. Please check our FOR SUMMER website or the website of organisers for the latest updates. 2021? 2020
March 26-29/03 RelaxSing Mallorca Mallorca (ES)
April 16-18 + 22-25/04 Festival di Primavera Montecatini Termi (IT)
May 19-24/05 12th European Festival Youth Choirs Basel (CH)
July 11-16/07 IFCM World Symposium for Choral Music Auckland (NZ)
6-12/07 International Choir Festival Barcelona (ES)
17-24/07 International Singing Week Tarragona (ES)
18-25/07 Choralp Briançon (FR)
19-26/07 European Seminar for choral composers Aosta (IT)
24/07-4/08 EuroChoir Limerick (IE)
30/07-20/08 World Youth Choir Bonn (DE) Festival programme: August 5-12/08 EUROPA CANTAT junior 2020 Vilnius (LT)
22-29/08 AFRICA CANTAT Nairobi (KE) SUMMER 2020
September 11-13/09 (Inter)national congress for choirs conductors Paris (FR) Applications: 28/09-4/10 In the footsteps of Ludwig van Beethoven Bonn (DE) OCTOBER 2020
November 20-22/11 ECA-EC General Assembly Galway (IE)
European Youth Choir for final concert Dezember 11-19/12 Bonn (DE) of Ludwig van Beethoven
2021
July 16-25/07 EUROPA CANTAT Festival 2021 Ljubljana (SI)
and further activities announced in July 2020
JAVNI SKLAD REPUBLIKE SLOVENIJE Activities of ECA-EC Activities in partnership with ECA-EC Activities promoted by ECA-EC ZA KULTURNE DEJAVNOSTI
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IMPRINT “ European Choral Association Haus der Kultur, Weberstrasse 59/a I have learned what love 53113 Bonn, Germany Tel: +49 228 91 25 663 is from everyone of this choir. Fax: +49 228 91 25 658 www.EuropeanChoralAssociation.org Every moment during the session, [email protected] my heart was warmed by the kindness. @EuropeanChoralAssociation
And I have been saved countless times @ECA_EC
by the beaming smile of the people. @europeanchoralassociation I finally understand the meaning www.youtube.com/ecaec of these words: “Do you speak music?" Copyrights for photos: Music connects the world. credits on each picture Design: This experience changed my life. credia communications GmbH Bonn, www.credia.de
Printing company: “ Messner Medien GmbH, Rheinbach Mayuko Tsushida, Japan World Youth Choir Printed on eco-friendly paper.
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European Choral Association - Europa Cantat | Annual Report 2019 67 Titlephoto: Matic Dolenc www.EuropeanChoralAssociation. org